The Nation Newspaper

Tag: poverty

  • ‘I’m running to liberate Ogun from poverty’

    ‘I’m running to liberate Ogun from poverty’

    Prof. David Bamgbose is the governorship aspirant of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. In this interview with reporters, he explains why he deserves the party’s ticket and why he left the Accord Party for the PDP. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

    Why are you contesting for governorship?

    You cannot leave the governance of this state to the set of people in power. Someone like me need not have any business with governance, if they were doing the right thing. There is need to create conducive environment for the people in both private and public institutions. People should be able to have access to infrastructure, equipment and other facilities. But, the authorities in power have refused to tackle the problems. I have been a player in the private sector and other diverse local and international organisations. But, I have found out that my country and my state in particular is not fulfilling its God-given destiny. There is need for us to do something to arrest the situation. But, people have accepted the situation without question. They are not thinking of changing the status quo. We must do something and that is what I represent. But, the challenge that I have is how to achieve the above objectives. Let me give you this example; our College of Education charges the lowest fees among all tertiary institutions, whether private, state-owned or federal government-owned. We also allow students to pay in instalments. We equally run free education in the prisons. The prison is supposed to be correctional institutions, but in Nigeria it is a different thing entirely. Our activities and what we do for prisons inmate have made some of them graduates. Coming into politics is to seek a higher platform to reach out to more people, to make life better for them. We must do something about the state; we cannot leave it to the set of people in power to continue to toy with our collective destinies.

    Why did you leave the Accord Party for the PDP?

    It is a very pragmatic, but painful decision to move from my former party, the Accord Party to the PDP. Pragmatic in the sense that you cannot achieve certain things on the basis of ideas alone; you must be realistic. I found out that in Nigeria, there are two major parties the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The work we are going to do, if it must be successful, we must get across as many people as possible. It would be easier to achieve this through the PDP platform. So, there is nothing wrong taking that decision. The only thing that made me to move from the Accord Party to the PDP is to have a better structure. At the end of the day, also, I cannot confidently tell you that money will not be the criteria for the PDP to choose their candidate at the primaries. But, it should be on record that we presented our person on the platform. At the end of the day, the job would have been better done, if I can get the PDP ticket. This is because the personality of the people in governance has tremendous influence on the programme the party. The candidate of the party is very important; if you look at the calibre of the candidates of the parties in the elections in the Southwest, it speaks volume about the outcome of the result of the elections. So, one of the strongest reasons why I moved to the PDP is to be able to have a bigger platform, for us to be able to make our agenda available to a wide range of people and also to win the governorship of the state.

    There’s a long list of aspirants in the PDP. How you  can achieve this?

    It is the fundamental interest of any political party to get to the seat of power. Now, everyone that is aspiring on the platform of the PDP will go through the primaries and I think I will be of greater benefit to the PDP now and in the future. Out of the 10 of us that are vying for the governorship, under the PDP, there is none of them that have a business organisation in the whole of the Ogun State. I have three organisations in the state and I am resident in the state. Of course, they too are residents in the state; they go for their businesses and come back to the state. I employed over 200 people in our organisations. I want to say I am a bigger stakeholder in the evolution of the state than any one of them. And for example, the incumbent governor has been raising issues on tax matter. There was a time he locked the gate of our college. And if my party will present a candidate that will lose the election, God forbid, this people will go back to their business located outside the state. I will be the one that will remain in the state and facing the governor in the state. Again, there is a clear record of our activities of reaching out to the poor. In our colleges, we have offered scholarship. I have the track record of contribution to the betterment of humanity. So, it is better for the party to look beyond narrow equation or what they can get now. They should look at the larger benefit. I have the record of not being associated with any blemish. I have not worked with any government before. Some of the contestants have held political offices in the past without any benefit to the people. I may be weak in the area of giving money. I don’t have the money to throw around. I am of the opinion that these people, who go into the political arena, spending money are doing so on the basis of business and would look forward to reaping it back. If they get to power, what they will be bothered with is how they will recoup the money they have plough into it. It is investment for them, so we will not throw money around. We are going to sell ourselves to the people, as we are doing right now and allow God to pick the right candidate.

    Was there any consultation before  from the Accord Party to the PDP?

    I consulted with my primary constituency, but it was not a wide consultation. I had to talk to people in Accord Party, but they had divergent opinions. But at the end of the day, they understood my point of view. In Accord Party, we have little resources, for us to prosecute this election.

  • Poverty, weak laws, others promote fake drugs, says NAFDAC

    The grinding poverty  in the country and  other environmental challenges have been identified as reasons fake and substandard drugs business continue to flourish in Nigeria.

    Director of Enforcement, National Drugs Law Enforcement and Administration Control (NAFDAC), Kingsley Ejiofor, who said added that the evasion of arrest by fake drug peddlers/manufacturers, complexity and funding are other reasons fake drugs business continues to boom in the country.

    Ejiofor, who spoke to The Nation, during a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, lamented that hawkers of substandard drugs are poor, and as a result, unable to get money to prosecute court cases.  He said the development informed the decision of the police and other relevant bodies to seek their release on bail.

    According to him, the decision of many fake drug dealers to evade arrest made the business to thrive. The law, he said, is not effective enough to stop the illicit business.

    Ejiofor explained that it is difficult getting bills passed into laws, in view of the complex judicial process in Nigeria.

    He said the complex nature of the society has made it impossible for NAFDAC’s officials to monitor and arrest people that are behind fake drug business.

    Ejiofor said: ‘’People who sell fake drugs are very poor and do not have money to prosecute cases in court.  They are supposed to be arranged after their arrest. But we found out that they are so poor that they cannot get money to prosecute cases.  At the end, they were released. Also, Nigeria is very big, and delineated into various zones.

    He said: ‘’We have 36 states, and it is difficult for the officials of the agency to be everywhere at the same time. This made us to streamline our activities. When we see a batch of 20 fake drug merchants, we arrest them and take them to the Federal High Court for prosecution.  Thereafter, we wait to get more people arrested.’

    ‘’Apart from the fact that NAFDAC has financial challenges, it is expensive to pass laws especially when the government is involved.  It is not that the government is not doing anything to curb the activities of promoters of fake drugs and further encourage healthy living among Nigerians, the judicial process is cumbersome and therefore delay early passage of laws for that purpose.  At a point, we advocated death penalty for offenders, but human right institutions kicked against it on the ground that the punishment is too harsh.’’

  • Lower Trade and Higher Poverty Rate Are Cousins

    The relationship between trade and poverty is inverted. Countries with higher proportions of global trade tend to have less of poverty. Conversely, countries which contribute the least to global trade have higher poverty rates. This shows the importance of good trade policies in reducing poverty rates and increasing prosperity. Also, this shows why there is intense competition for export markets even by countries that already control significant share of global trade. Little wonder trade facilitation has become an economic policy of great importance.

    Development experts can’t agree more. Jim Yong Kim, the World Bank president, said in a recent statement that, “Trade is a critical component to ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity.” The foregoing therefore suggests that developing countries have to trade their way out of poverty. For African countries to reduce poverty, they must increase their share of global trade. But how to bring this about is anything but easy.

     

    Trade Challenge

    Sub Saharan Africa is reputed to be the least developed region of the world. The SSA region is also the least integrated into the global economy through trade. Since the 1960s, the share of sub Saharan Africa in international trade has become progressively smaller: less than 5% for all merchandise and 3% for agricultural products in 2010 (World Foundation for Agriculture and Rurality 2012). Trade within the SSA region is also dismal. Tariff and non-tariff barriers have been obstacles to intra-regional trade. Although the higher hurdles are non-tariff barriers, the ECOWAS goal of free movement of person and goods across member countries remains more of a wish than reality.

    Exports from Africa are mainly mineral resources and agricultural produce. With very low industrial base, the commodities are exported to other regions of the world and returned later to the continent as costlier finished products. This trade pattern results in “jobless growth” in the exporting countries when the prices of the commodities are high in the international market. The jobs that are created and sustained during commodity boom are mainly in the countries that “refine” and turn the commodities to finished products through industrial activities.

    But when prices of commodities are depressed, fiscal shocks are transmitted through the trade channel to the exporting countries, with severe human and economic implications. Apart from being pro-cyclical, trade in commodities is generally noted for volatility of current account positions and exertion of pressure on the exchange rate. The persistence of weak or negative growth in Europe and slower growth in China has dented economic growth in countries that depend very much on the export markets including Germany. But this does not build a case against active play in the export markets; it probably asserts the importance of domestic consumption as a cushion during a period of weaker exports.

     

    Export Diversification

    Having established the role of trade in reducing poverty on the one hand, and the deleterious effects of export of mainly primary products on the other, it therefore means that the way to reduce poverty in developing countries is through export diversification by boosting industrial activities. Gaining a mileage in export diversification does entail formalisation of informal trade. To achieve this, empowerment of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) is of utmost importance, both in itself and in gaining more share of global trade.

    The key problem with informal trade is that it deprives policymakers of the major tool of policymaking, which is data. Informal trade usually takes place off the radar, making data gathering and processing virtually impossible. But policymakers need to know areas where it is important to scale up positive results in trade activities. Understanding the obstacles that confront informal sector operators will aid intervention and will eventually prepare the operators toward making due contribution to fiscal policy by coming under the tax net.

     

    SME Incubation

    Evidently, the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has identified the SME sector as critical for boosting economic growth and job creation. On its part, the Nigerian Export – Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) is aware of the potentials of Nigerian SMEs. They can leverage domestic consumption, using access to over 170 million population to harness opportunities in foreign markets. Accordingly, our interventions are now geared towards such firms that we believe are relatively well-structured to be able to stabilize their operations and then foray into external markets.

    Several programmes under this Administration are incubating the SME segment for a major turnaround. In the traditional areas of providing infrastructure and electricity power, the country is seen to have made big leaps in policy formulation and execution, notwithstanding the milestones that are yet to be reached. Most recent perhaps is the launch of the N220 billion SME fund by the President in August, under the auspices of Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Specific programmes under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, infrastructural development for ICT utilization, local content development in oil and gas, the programme of industrialization as encapsulated in the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Programme (NIRP) all speak of the resolve of President Jonathan to use the instrumentality of state policy to mediate market performance and SME growth. On-going implementation of the programmes is concomitant with job creation, which is vital for eradication of extreme poverty.

     

    Unmasking Poverty

    Poverty eradication has once again climbed to the top of global development policy agenda. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have announced twin programmes of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity by 2030. Feelers from post-2015 policy debates suggest that global development goals will focus on eradication of extreme poverty, going forward from next year. In the meantime, reports from some global institutions are making some important prescriptions on poverty reduction.

    A recent publication by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – Trade Policies, Household Welfare and Poverty Alleviation: Case Studies from the Virtual Institute Academic Network – strongly associates trade and poverty, offering policymakers insights on what it called “pro-poor trade policies.” Another new literature which focuses on economic growth – a sine qua non for poverty reduction – reaffirms what we already know: that export diversification is the “gateway” to higher growth. To achieve export diversification however, Chris Papageorgiou, Lisa Kolovich and Sean Nolan, all of the IMF, identify manufacturing of high quality products as a necessity. They suggest therefore that the world has gone past the Chinese industrialization model of producing cheap and low quality products to unleash price competition in the export market. Accordingly, Chris and his colleagues listed human capital, infrastructure, institutional quality, financial deepening and proximity to markets as drivers of export diversification. These are very important recommendations which are familiar but which cannot be overemphasized. I will therefore run commentaries on them in the context of the Nigerian policy environment and readiness for trade as I conclude this piece.

    Quality products: The Nigerian middle class and wealthy Nigerians are noted to be pretty sophisticated. As such, an industrial development model that manufactures cheap and inferior products would be mistargeted at Nigerians with means. Nowhere is this recognized more than in the cable manufacturing industry where Nigerian cables are noted for higher quality than some imported brands. Once known for exporting inferior products, China has been reforming its industrial policy to emphasize the manufacturing of high quality products. This is the direction Nigeria should go to ensure we can trade in the global market of today and not of yesterday.

    Human capital: Within a practical framework, multi-level support for human capital development has been a key goal of this Administration. School enrolment has improved generally. Specific programmes have targeted areas that had lagged behind due to past neglect. Tertiary education is being strengthened to be able to absorb more university candidates. Another area that has benefited from government’s programme of industrial development is vocational education. For example, there are ongoing efforts to develop skills that will support growth in the power sector and automobile production and assembly plants. Also, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) embeds training for skill acquisitions in the areas of public works, including road construction and maintenance, railway rehabilitation and dredging.

    Infrastructure: The foregoing already highlights the fact that the country is moving in the right direction with infrastructure development. The pace may be slow, but there is no doubt that we will attain a tipping point sooner than later. At that point, it will become more obvious to global investors that so-called infrastructure deficiency in Nigeria represents investment opportunities which are being harnessed. This is a key lesson we have taken from the implementation of the power sector reform.

    Institutional quality:  The truth is evident that Nigeria is building and strengthening its institutions again. As a constitutional democracy, the governance framework is stable and predictable. Market regulators do their jobs without the fear of any political backlash. This is what has helped to put in place a sustainable path for the turn-around of our financial market, since the introduction of reforms in 2004. NEXIM Bank itself is an institution that has been revamped as part of government decision to strengthen public sector institutions and support private sector actors.

    Financial deepening: There is perhaps no other country or jurisdiction that has introduced more far-reaching reforms in its financial market than Nigeria over the past ten years. The proliferation of marginal banks has given way to stronger and sounder private sector financial institutions including “mega” banks. A poorly organized and unfunded pension system has given way for the contributory system that has exceeded N4.5 trillion ($24 billion) in pension asset. Yet regulation and innovation have continued to characterize the Nigerian financial system, including the capital market.

    Proximity to markets: Nigeria is not just a place to set up a business. The country is a big and growing market. Investing in Nigeria is tantamount to connecting to a big market. Nevertheless, the country is also well-linked to the sub-regional markets by all popular means – road, sea and air – except by rail.

    As the country continues to develop capacity for trade through economic diversification, it is expected that the poverty rate will continue to fall.

     

    •Roberts Orya is Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export – Import Bank.

  • ‘Poverty made me the best’

    When he was seven years old, Gideon Oluwaseun Afolayan lost his father, Pa James Afolayan, at a ripe age of 93. His mother was the youngest of many wives, and he, the last of the six children from his mother.

    The 27-year-old was raised by his eldest sister and her daughter, who provided him with the best education affordable.  His background inspired him to graduate with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.90 from the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State last Saturday, beating 325 others to win the overall best graduating student prize.

    Sharing his story with The Nation, the graduate of Physics and Electronics, underscored his hatred for poverty, saying it made him to graduate as the best.

    “When I say poverty made me to graduate as the best, I don’t mean I was poor as a student, but I hate poverty with a passion and wouldn’t want it close to me.  So, wherever I find myself I strive for excellence.  That was why all through my primary, polytechnic and university education, I always aspired to be at the top,” he said.

    Given his father’s death when he was still very young, Afolayan’s future would have been different if his elder sister and her daughter had not stepped in.

    “I lived with her in Zaria, and then her daughter also took me away from her due to God’s favour and good character. They asked if I would come and live with them and I agreed. God has raised me from one level of grace to the other since then. From Abuja we came down to Lagos and God planted me in BellsTech,” he said.

    After his O Levels in 2007 at Jefab International School, Suleja, Niger State, Afolayan wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) twice with the intention of studying medicine, but did not obtain the cut-off mark. He proceeded to Allover Polytechnic, Ota, Ogun State, where he studied Electrical/Electronic Engineering and graduated with a distinction.

    “I used my certificate to get admission into BellTech after my one year industrial training,” he added.

    On how he studied, Afolayan who hails from Irepi Town in Boluwaduro Local Government of Osun State, said he has a schedule for everything he does including reading.

    “I engage myself in many activities that people look at me and wonder because I don’t look or behave like other intelligent students. I play the keyboard so when I am free I hang around with my juniors and rehearse. I was also the music director at school. I engaged in several extra-curricular activities, but I devoted time to all of them,” he said.

    Afolayan said he does not settle for less and that he had already made up his mind to graduate as the best student before he resumed at Bells.

    He said: “Before I got admission into Bells, I asked God what he has for me because I believe in living my life based on specific target, so as I entered the school, God kept unveiling opportunities for me. I first had the passion to top my department. So, in the first semester God helped me with that and I had a 4.85. In the second semester David Abejide, who is my very good friend came to me one evening and told me there was a scholarship available, but the condition is to top my college. So, I continued with my hardworking life style and I topped my college with a 4.95 and got the scholarship. Sixty per cent of my fee was paid by the school for the year.

    “After that I asked myself what other height I could scale and at the last convocation I told myself I would be the next. I told my friend David that I would be the one there next. I also received an SMS almost immediately the last valedictorian was called from another of my friend Atoyosi Olubusola.  She said: ‘My friend, you are meant to be there’; and to the glory of Go,d I am here today,” he said.

    Afolayan, who said he had not seen his mother for over five years, was full of praises for his guardians, Mr Lawrence Oresanya and his wife, Deola, who he said have treated him like their own children.

    The Oresanyas attested to his good character and morals, which made them to develop interest in him.

    “He has not given us any problems since we took him in and we don’t regret taking him in. When we went to Osogbo to take him, we wanted to take two of them because Mama had four of them with her and we felt the burden was too much, but she refused saying she could give us only one child so we ended up with the youngest, which was Seun and he has been doing us proud,” Mr Oresanya said.

    Afolayan advised undergraduates to be disciplined, saying discipline determines the height everyone will get to on earth.

    “No matter how high you rise on earth, without discipline you will fall in no time. Discipline will help you get your life right, even your spiritual life, academic, social and otherwise,” he said.

    Afolayan already has his eyes on his next goal: to pick a scholarship to study in Cambridge University, United Kingdom. After school, he hopes to be an entrepreneur.

     

  • Monarch inaugurates committee on poverty alleviation

    The Ona of Abaji and Chairman of Council of Traditional Rulers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, has inaugurated a six-man committee on poverty alleviation in a bid to reduce the level of poverty in the area.

    Other members of the committee are the Sarkin Gabas of Abaji, Alhaji Kamal Adamu Shuaibu, as Chairman, Dan Maje of Abaji, Alhaji Salihu Abdullahi, Secretary and Etsu Gupa of Abaji, Alhaji Ali Sokodabo, Shaban Nupe of Abaji, Alhaji Ibrahim Yahaya Suleiman, Alhaji Yusuf Adamu Baba and Mr. M.I. Kakamba.

    While inaugurating the committee at his palace, Alhaji Yunusa said the level of poverty bedeviling residents of the council informed the setting up of the committee.

    He further said the poverty alleviation committee would create an opportunity for the unemployed, especially youths to be engaged in any kind of petty business or hands/skill acquisition programme.

    According to him, the committee would intensify efforts in reaching out to Federal Government, corporate organisations as well as some international donor agencies to support the committee.

    “At least, if some of these youths will have something doing, it would, no doubt, divert their attention from engaging in social vices to productive ventures. This is so because, a situation whereby there is high level of poverty in a society, the next thing for such youths is to either engage in political thuggery or any form of crime,” he said.

    The monarch therefore urged members of the committee to devote their time to ensure that the scheme becomes successful, even as he urged residents of the council to continue to live in peace with one another.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, Alhaji Kamal Adamu Shuaibu, praised the monarch for the initiative and for finding them trustworthy to carry out the assignment.

    He assured the monarch of the committee’s readiness to carry out the assignment diligently, such that, the high level poverty in the council is put to its barest minimum.

    “Your highness sir, this committee also shares the pains you feel over the high level poverty in the council, and we shall try our best to ensure that both our youths and women have something doing at the end the day,” he assured.

  • Aig-Imoukhuede, others chart way out of poverty

    Aig-Imoukhuede, others chart way out of poverty

    All that is required to get Nigerians out of the poverty trap is to properly develop the massive human and natural resources in the country, experts have said.

    Giving the charge, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman, Wapic Insurance Plc, President, National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and former Managing Director, Access Bank, noted that focus for the development on Nigeria as a nation should be on improving the lives of those whose lives can be better.

    Speaking on the theme: ‘Poverty, Development and Growth, Lessons for Nigeria’ during the 21st annual forum of Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), a non-for-profit agency, which held at the Niger Hall of the International Conference Centre in Abuja, recently, Aig-Imoukhuede said that in 15 years of Nigeria’s economic renaissance, being one of the world’s largest economy and being number 26th on the world economic table, “it is time we all began to ask why is there so much poverty and deprivation amid our much touted economic renaissance as she brandishes great statistics? And why haven’t we been able to solve the issues of poverty in the midst of plenty?”

    According to him, one of the reasons it is salient for Nigeria to learn from China on how the Asian nation was able to blend the wealth of its human and natural resources that has now resulted in the economic, material, technological and overall human growth of China.

    He said this simply shows that Nigeria really needs to fix both its institutions and entrepreneurs to develop the nation.

    For both the former and latter, Aig-Imoukhuede said those driving the wheels of the nation must know that poverty reduction cannot be attained without income growth given that development is generally focused on alleviation of poverty.

    The Managing Director, LAPO, Mr. Godwin Eseiwi Ehigiamusoe, while appreciating the guest speaker, said that his speech had reinforced his organisation’s commitment to offering assistance to women and widows and upcoming youth in the country through its LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited.

  • Lagos reduces hunger, poverty, want

    The Programme Manager  and  Chief  Executive, Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA), Mr. Kayode Ashafa  has said  the  state is  repositioning  the  agriculture sector to  improve food security and reduce hunger by   encouraging  Nigerians  to invest in farming.

    Speaking during this year’s edition of farmers forum in Lagos, Ashafa said  the  government  has   taken up important new schemes to boost agricultural production.

    So far, he said, the state agricultural programmes are delivering results that are changing the face of poverty and hunger.

    According to him, the government has reached a lot of smallholder farmers with new technologies  aimed at increasing agricultural production.

    Present at the farmers’ forum are the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal; the  Permanent  Secretary, Dr Yakub Basorun; the Project manager, Agriculture Development Authority, Mr Kayode Ashafa, the State project Cordinator, Commercial Agriculture Development Project, Mr Kehinde Ogunyinka, among others.

    As part of measures to boost the morale of the farmers in the state,  the Lagos State Agriculture Development Authority (ADA), Oko-Oba, Lagos  State gave out  a total of 14.8 million naira, as well as farming equipment worth eight million naira to farmers spread across the state.

    The cash was given to boost agricultural activities in four State Programme  for Food Security (SPFS) sites. The four SPFS sites that benefited from the cash gifts are; Igboye/Igbonla SPFS  site which went home with a cheque of N3million; while Ado/Badore SPFS site went home with a cheque of 1.8 million naira; Ayobo/Ipaja and Igbalu/Gberigbe SPFS sites went home with a cheque five million naira each.

    SPFS sites major in agriculture activities which include poultry, piggery, crop production, aqualculture processing, among others.

    Ashafa said:  “The cash is to assist the farmers in ensuring that there’s surplus food  for our teeming population, not only in Lagos, but across the country.

    ”We cannot afford to fail our people in feeding them.”

    Apart from the cash gifts, twenty groups spread across the state went home with farming equipment worth N8 million. The equipment are; 20 water pumps, 150 wheel barrow, 200 cutlasses, 200 J K files, 200 rain boots, 200 big hoes, 200 shovels/spades, 200 safety gadgets, 200 iron buckets, 150 big plastic bowls, among others.

    One of the beneficiaries who identified himself as Alhaji Hammed from Igboye/Igbonla SPFS site said: “Our site was one of those that benefited from the cash gifts.  The Lagos State government has indeed been helpful to the farmers, and the only way to pay back is to make good use of the money to ensure more production of foods to our teeming population.”

    Another beneficiary who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity said:

    “Our group be nefitted from the farm equipment distributed. We are so grateful, we promise to make good use of those equipment.”

  • The poverty of hope

    Hope is never enough to salvage our ship of state from the tempest of the world’s wind. Yesterday, we taunted hope, today we shame it. Tomorrow, hope will desert us and we shall become the nation for whom nothing prospers; save gluttony and cheek; save cowardice, double-speak, ill-bliss – and all our twisted lusts and perversions by the gods we make.

    Today, we stand on the bight of history to murder whatever hope survives, again. Despite our rant for progress and clamour for change wrought in the interest of the collective good, see…see what politics we advocate. See what candidates we celebrate.

    Like a mixed economy, men of mixed politics touting philosophies of mixed premises assault our psyche with debilitating mathematic and skill. They have led us from the epoch of gloomy realities to that where geometry of military vigour and feeble rebellion dissipates in their own ruined world.

    The consequences of our politics bear down on us as the enfant terrible eagle, death-activated, on stray chicks. But we choose to see what we would like to see. We choose to appreciate what is convenient for us to appreciate.

    Being that you possess such inalienable right to root for and project the politics and humanity of whichever candidate appeals to your philosophy of socio-political correctness, I do not seek to deny you such inalienable privilege rather I ask that you exercise great tact and meticulousness, if you could manage to do so, in casting your vote at the forthcoming general elections in 2015.

    I ask that you be wary of everybody and everything…even your subconscious; for certain questions which you will frequently hear and certain apologies which you would be forced or lured to accommodate are hardly progressive philosophical queries or rhetoric. They are rather psychological confessions and expositions of the treachery and chaos within our preferred candidates, their apologists and the innate voice in you and me.

    More often than not, every touted good reveals a deeper evil; like the enormity of the extent to which altruism erodes a man’s capacity to grasp the concept of rights or the actual value of human life. It reveals the extent to which the reality of humanity has being wiped out.

    I ask that you be wary of the extremely humble and patronising candidate who is desperate to serve as the means to the end of others; for such character will necessarily regard others – including you and me – as the means to achieving his ends, usually at all costs.

    The more neurotic he is or the more conscientious he gets in his practice of altruism –the more he will, as usual, devise schemes “for the love of the collective good,” “for the love of the common man,” or “posterity” and “leaders of tomorrow.” Every effort of such candidate will be geared at reinforcing all manners of sentiments and sound bites – he will seek to fulfil every need except of actual human beings, like you and me.

    Hence my heartfelt proposition of a debate, and multiple debates to serve as the looking glasses through which we shall view and analyse the politics and humanity of our preferred candidate in order to trust his soul or impeach him.

    I earnestly plead that we scorn the politics of unblemished altruism and its advocates for such altruism oftentimes promises automatic and wholly magical solutions to problems of poverty, security, sub-standard education and healthcare to mention a few. It promises success and survival to anyone and everyone offering basically “life-boat” solutions as lifelines from which to derive the benefits of such philosophy of governance and moral conduct while our social realities negate any such benefit.

    Let us not be deceived by the promises of modern and affordable housing, true federalism, fiscal prudence, quality education and so on tirelessly regurgitated by our preferred candidates. Let us begin to ask how they would pay for these things and at what cost to you and me.

    Thus the beauty of a platform by which we would make each candidate define his philosophy of social reform, welfare governance and the psychology of his noble experiments in the interest of our most basic necessities. The appalling recklessness with which our candidates propose, justify and project “government with a human face” may be discernible, measured and disclaimed through the looking-glass of well organised political debates and frank-talk. Thus we could begin to identify and abstain from such candidates and their philosophy of bogus realities.

    Thus we may get to know, in the nick of time, that the hallmark of their “humanitarian” mentalities is the advocacy of some limitless grand scale public goal or initiative, without regard to context, costs or means of achieving it. Then we would get to know and wholly understand their modus operandi: for such a goal or initiative to be desirable to you and me, it has to be made public and glamorised because the costs are not to be earned, but to be expropriated; and a dense patch of venomous fog has to enshroud such vital issues as the means of achieving it – because the means are to be human lives. Human lives like yours and mine; battered, bruised, browbeaten and easy to fleece.

    Healthcare appropriately illustrates a modicum of their life-boat ventures. “Isn’t it desirable that the government subsidizes treatment of compatriots living with HIV/AIDS?” clamours an average citizen. The preferable answer would be “Yes, it is desirable.” Who would have a reason to say no anyway?

    It is at this point that both mental and moral processes of a collectivised brain are wholly cut off; the rest is fog. Only the desire remains in sight of our “altruistic” candidate. “It’s for the greater good. It’s hardly in my interest but the interest of others. It’s for the public, a helpless, ailing public,” seeks the candidate for justification. Consequently, the fog hides such facts as the embezzlement of public fund, unbridled looting of the public till, compromise and sacrifice of medical science, professional integrity and the careers and happiness of those who are to administer such care, the medical doctors; and those who are to enjoy it, the patients.

    The examples of such projects are innumerable as daily our favoured candidates whip up more altruistic hogwash to bait us, draw us in and enslave us. Therefore, be wary of the candidate promising to clean up our slums while avoiding questions about what happens to the victims of such cleansing and those in the next income bracket.

    Be wary of the candidate who seeks to educate the public while avoiding crucial issues as the quality and welfare of staff to anchor such educational project, what will be taught, and what back-up measures to be adopted in the event that the initiative fails. Be wary of the candidate who seeks that Nigeria too gets to do the moonwalk and conquer space even as he avoids the crucial issues of government and private sector neglect and discrimination against the nation’s polytechnics and technological training schools.

    Be conscious of the essence of their unreality – their blind, savage, ghastly elegant unreality that inspires them to prevaricate and if possible, avoid the usually unanswered and unanswerable question to all their “popular” and “altruistic” goals: “Who really gets to enjoy the benefits?” You? Me?

  • How to end insecurity, poverty, by lawyers

    How to end insecurity, poverty, by lawyers

    The Ebola did not scare lawyers away from the 54th Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General  Conference in Owerri, the Imo state capital, last week.  No fewer than 7000 of them, including House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), gathered to examine the theme: Nigeria, a 100 years after. The highlight of the event was the passing of the NBA leadership baton from Mr Okey Wali (SAN) to Mr Augustine Alegeh (SAN), who unveiled some  reforms in his agenda. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

    It is a gathering which lawyers look forward to yearly. Since this year’s annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) coincided with the country’s centenary celebrations, its theme was: Nigeria, a 100 years after.

    Not even the fear of Ebola could scare the lawyers from attending the conference on large number.  No fewer than 7000 of them were in conference.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), opened the week-long event, which was chaired by former Head of State  Gen. Yakubu Gowon. A historian, Dr George Kwanashie gave the keynote address.

    The conference featured a showcase session with discussions by Delta and Imo State governors Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Owelle Rochas Okorocha on the topic: Nigeria’s biggest problem: Corruption or impunity?

    NBA subdivisions, such as Judges Forum, Section on Business Law, Section on Legal Practice, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, Human Rights Institute, British-Nigeria Law Forum, Military Law Forum, Academic Forum, Women Forum, Corporate Council Forum, Young Lawyers Forum, Lawyers in the Legislature Forum, Lawyers in the Media Forum and NBA Anti-Corruption Commission, also held separate sessions.

    Delivering the president’s speech, Adoke said security agencies  were working hard to check the activities of Boko Haram  and prevent the sect from spreading its tentacles to other parts of the country.

    “The challenges are enormous and all Nigerians must appreciate the difficult circumstances under which our security forces are operating.

    “Government has, however, insisted that the war against terrorism and insurgency must be fought without sacrificing the tenets of the rule of law,” he said.

    The minister explained why President Jonathan asked for $1 billion to fight terror.

    “It is beyond doubt that a lot resources are needed to equip and re-train our security forces for this challenge. This request for the sum of $1billion recently made to the National Assembly is to enable government to fully equip our armed forces for the war against terrorism and insurgency…”

    He urged Nigerians to remain united and to appreciate that terrorism is a global phenomenon which requires concerted efforts of all nations of the world.

    “Equally important is the need to forge a united front to combat the common enemy. Terrorists would rather have us divided along sectional, religious and political lines as the division would not only help their cause, but also further diminish our efforts to collectively and effectively wage war against them,” he said.

     

    ‘I see worsening poverty’

    Tambuwal said the common man’s life is yet to experience any positive change, despite a purported economic growth, which he attributed to what he called “a circle of error.”

    “We suffer gross infrastructural deficit. We are growing our socio-political and economic institutions with perplexing reluctance.

    “Our overall economic growth and indices speak contrastingly with our human development indices, yet true development is people-centered.

    “When we celebrate magnificent growth indices in the face of worsening abject poverty, the true implication must be that there is something fundamentally wrong.

    “What the nation needs desperately now is to extricate itself from this circle of error and I dare say that we possess the capacity to do so,” Tambuwal said.

    He said although he is part of government, he speaks on “governance failings” because he believes “the greatest disservice that man can do to himself and society is to indulge in self deceit.”

    “If I see magnificent growth indices and after traversing our rural communities what I see is worsening poverty I should have the courage to tell myself the truth no matter how bitter,” he said.

     

    “Nigeria is not a lightweight”

    For Gen. Gowon, despite the country’s challenges, Nigeria deserves regard for having existed for 100 years.

    “Without argument, any nation or institution that attains the century landmark cannot be seen a lightweight. Neither can it be treated with disrespect, regardless of whether or not the positive achievements in society outweigh the challenges of nation building or vice-versa,” Gowon said.

    He, however, admitted that there is still a long way to go. “Nigeria at 100 years of age has not achieved its full potential,” he said.

    Part of the problem, he said, is a conflict of ideologies. “For me, the issue is not to say who is right or wrong but what is right or wrong.

    “One of the issues that may not easily lend itself to easy resolution in this regard is the conflict of ideologies between liberal democracy and sharia… I am confident that the conflict can and should be resolved by the reconciliation of both ideologies,” he said.

    Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), said the two ideologies must be reconciled in the country’s interest.

    “We must celebrate our diversity and fight to enshrine national unity and reconciliation, factors that are necessary in shaping Nigeria’s two ideologies Islam and liberal democracy and the relationships between them.

    “The Sharia proponents, as has been shown are at war with the Constitution.  There is need therefore for reconciliation of the two ideologies if it is possible,” he said.

    On how to achieve such a reconciliation, he suggested: “For the future peace and development of Nigeria that would include industrial revolution, the NBA must promote the following actions:

    “(1) Draft two bills for the consideration of the political parties viz: (I) Reconciliation Commission Bill very much like the Truth Commission Act of South Africa with emphasis on Ideology and Reconciliation; (II) A Constituency Assembly Bill with emphasis on Ethnic Representation in which every Ethnic Nationality must have not less than one and not more than ten representatives.

    “These two drafts should be sent to all the political parties interested in the 2015 elections for their consideration and the political parties should eventually make same the bases of their campaign,” he said.

     

    Okorocha’s unique economic theories

    The showcase session featured Uduaghan and Okorocha, who thrilled guests with their sense of humour.

    Uduaghan said anger is at the heart of Nigeria’s problems, including insecurity. He urged politicians to get rid of anger and watch things change for good.

    According to him, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has become the “Angry Peoples Congress” because it is where those angry with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) go to.

    “When you’re angry with the PDP, you go to APC. That is what is happening now,” Uduaghan said.

    But Okorocha, who is in APC, disagreed. “Let me say to my colleague: I’m not angry,” he said, adding that Nigeria is in need of good leadership.

    There was a mild drama when Okorocha’s speech was interrupted as Uduaghan got up to leave. It was while the Imo governor was highlighting his state’s “meagre” allocation compared to what the likes of Akwa Ibom and Delta get.

    Okorocha spoke about governors who are “executive cashiers” and those who create wealth, saying government is not about awarding contracts but transforming the common’s man’s life.

    He also explained the economic principle of “Rochonomics”, “Kwashiokorism” and “Ohasierism” which he propounded.

    He said: “Rochonomics is an economic theory for the supersonic transformation of the country,” he said. According to him, Nigeria has a “big head” with a “bulging tummy” and tiny legs.

    “Nigerian economy is suffering from what we call kwashiokorism. It’s not balanced. Let me ask you, gentlemen: if you see a woman with a big head, bulging tummy and feeble legs, you will not marry her. But if you see a woman with a small head, moderate tummy with a big balance, you will marry.

    “That’s why nobody can marry Nigerian economy. That calls for systematic devolution of power to shed this big head, bring it back to the legs so it can move fast.

    “That is what is called Ohashierism (meaning Oha siere ofu onye, ofu onye agaghi ericha) (A person cannot finish the food cooked by many people).”

    According to him, most leaders do not have the vision or the passion to move the country forward, adding that a man who cannot manage resources cannot manage a nation.

    “You cannot give what you don’t have. You cannot go beyond your capacity. That is why we must allow people who have the vision to lead us irrespective of where they come from.

    “Governance is not about Federal allocation. It’s about ability to create wealth. Any leader who cannot make sacrifice has no business in governance,” Okorocha said.

     

    Alegeh’s ‘populist’ policies

    A new NBA leadership led by Augustine Alegeh (SAN) was inaugurated. The new NBA President reversed some of the policies he inherited from the outgoing president Okey Wali (SAN).

    First, he said all lawyers who have been verified in the NBA Data Base shall be issued with NBA Identification Cards.

    The card would contain name of the lawyer, photograph and Supreme Court Enrolment Number. The card would also function as a payment card for ATM, POS and online transactions.

    The card would entitle a lawyer to a variety of discount and other packages negotiated by NBA. The best news is that the card would be issued free of charge to lawyers.

    Alegeh also reduced Bar practising fees by 10 per cent for all lawyers except SANs.

    He surprised the packed hall by slashing the association’s conference fees by 40 per cent from what was paid for the 2014 conference.

    Alegeh condemned what he described as the “secret shrouded” appointment of judges, and called for a system that is more transparent where merit rather than cronyism is the basis for appointments and promotion of judicial officers.

    “The fight to rid the judiciary of corruption would remain a mirage unless and until the appointment and promotion system is reviewed.

    “We cannot expect judicial officers appointed through the back door to be incorruptible especially at this time when those who arranged the appointments have retired but rather than stay quietly at home to enjoy their retirement, now masquerade themselves as consultants in cases where they have never seen the court processes.

    “Their main claim to fame and consultancy fees remains the fact that the judge is ‘my boy’. This is utterly disgraceful. It should be discouraged. It should be condemned,” Alegeh said.

    He called for the passage of the several justice sector bills pending before the National Assembly, which, when passed, would enhance justice delivery system in Nigeria.

    On the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), he said: “A child conceived at the same time as our PIB would have finished school, started work and be married with children by this time.

    “Countries that came to Nigeria to get a peek at our PIB when it was conceived has since passed and amended their PIBs several times.

    “We are a country dependent essentially on petroleum and yet our National Assembly is playing poker with our collective fortunes and future.

    “I believe we still have men of integrity, courage and valour at the National Assembly and I call on them to take up the challenge of ensuring that the PIB is passed without further delay,” Alegeh said.

    He expressed doubts that the $1billion being sought for the military would have any positive effect on the war against insurgency.

    “It is surprising that the military only realised in the middle of the insurgency that they had no weaponry. Strange, indeed!

    “The military should at least help locate and free the Chibok girls to redeem our collective pride. That is the least we expect from our military,” he said.

     

    Lawyers conquer Ebola fear

    Prior to the conference, there were calls that it should be cancelled to prevent the spread of Ebola. However, all participants were screened for the virus before being allowed into hall, while hand sanitisers were provided.

    Lawyers were not afraid to shake hands and hug each other. It was as if Ebola was not a factor.

    “We must also thank God for keeping Ebola away from this conference,” Alegeh said.

    However, lawyers complained of not receiving conference materials in time, despite the “high fees” charged by Wali’s administration. Besides, nearly all the sessions started behind schedule.

     

    Statutory reports

    A highlight of the conference was the annual general meeting, where NBA announced that it has a cash balance of over N131million in its account.

    Statutory reports were also presented by the Council of Legal Education, Legal Aid Council, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

    The Nigerian Law School said it would not close down its unfenced campuses in Kano State and Yola in Adamawa State due to insurgency in the Northeast.

    The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has been under pressure to close the campuses following the kidnap of the school girls in Chibok, Borno State, on April 15.

    The two campuses are said to be unfenced, making them even more vulnerable

    But the Law School Director-General, Olanrewaju Onadeko, said so far, there has been no incident that justifies the fear expressed about those campuses.

    He said the management had embarked on fencing of the campuses “to forestall their apparent vulnerability”.

    Onadeko said: “We have also secured the support of the Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and the State Security Services for the deployment of plain clothes officers and men to the precincts of all our campuses.

    “Within our modest means, we have also acquired and deployed modern security gadgets at all campuses. We also have in place CCTV camera at strategic locations on the advice of our security experts to aid the operation of our security personnel.”

    Onadeko said the Law School is also faced with the challenge of violation of admission quota by law faculties of universities.

    He also bemoaned increased number of applicants from “foreign universities” such as those in the Republic of Benin, Ghana, Cameron, Saotome and Principe, among others. He said the school would admit only law graduates from faculties whose programmes are recognised by the Council of Legal Education.

    “There is a moratorium on recognition of programmes of new foreign faculties in place,” he said.

     

  • Science in Africa will bring Africa out of poverty, by and by

    Science in Africa will bring Africa out of poverty, by and by

    Many young Nigerians, indeed Africans, are possibly looking forward to getting a university degree, getting a job and rising to the top fast (contribution or no contribution), building a house or houses, buying cars in the blinking of an eye, and being able to do whatever they want in life because they have money for it.  This kind of ambition may not be bad in itself but it is a nation killer.

    Having worked for more than a decade in advanced countries as a scientist, I am confident that unless our young people are trained to become transformative professionals in the use of science and technology, the efforts towards development are largely unsustainable.

    Research and development are like two sides of a coin we can use to acquire lasting civilization. Nigeria, a giant in Africa, presently has about 130 universities and a great potential for transformation of raw materials and human resources towards provision of goods and services.  I sometimes feel ashamed when every time Africans need something scientific or technical, we go begging advanced countries because I know the only thing that makes them advanced is the effort (mental  and physical) that they apply at their jobs and services.

    Come Ebola outbreak, we are waiting for hard working America to give us serum, vaccines, drugs, or whatever they can quickly develop while we have about 130 universities.  I do not blame young Nigerians for not being interested in science if a Nigerian scientist does not present a cure for Ebola and get a pat on the back from the whole world and money in his pocket for the rest of his life.

    For Africans to enjoy more health and well-being and sustainable development, we need to be more and more scientific in reasoning and in functioning.Every time I go to an advanced country, I enjoy buying fruits and vegetables because they come in ample variety and with healthy, attractive presentation. As a scientist, I know a lot of scientific work goes into this at various levels of the chain of production and distribution. Whenever I buy a medication in Nigeria, I look at where it is made: India, Israel, UK, USA, etc., and yet Nigeria may have more potential for petrochemicals than all these countries.  Unless Nigerians apply themselves scientifically, they cannot be productive in such goods.  Undeveloped industries certainly are a great part of unemployment, poverty, and disease in Africa.

    In a capitalist country, or in a humane country, or in an advanced country, if they had the Ebola outbreak being experienced in West Africa, perhaps microbiologists, virologists, pathologists, pharmacologists, biochemists,biomedical scientists, physician scientists,pharmaceutical scientists, would beallhands on deck in desperate research by now, looking at the Ebola problem from top to bottom and front to back and inside to outside and past to present. In fact Ebola would have been brought to shame, stark naked. Instead what do we have?  We have fear and panic and 130 universities.

    The Ebola problem can be seen as a wake-up call to improve research capacities and activities in Nigerian and other African universities. Whether for some particular needs or for philosophical curiosity, our universities should be taking pride in state-of-the-arts research in all fields of science.  No academic staff should be wasted while Africans groan in poverty and continue in poverty.  Africa is well-known for poverty and diseased but really, if we look closely, there is no mystery in African poverty and disease but, surely, there is misery is in African Science.

    A gossip that struck me recently is that well-wishers of President Jonathan gave gifts galore for his daughter’s wedding including 69 sparkling cars.  I love their kindness and goodwill towards the president but please, rich Nigerians, support science and university researchers.  Give endowments, donate equipment, initiate grants and funding for scientists, sponsor projects, encourage youths to become scientific researchers, give scholarships and awards, sponsor scientific conferences, workshops, and training, encourage professors, and promote global interactions in tertiary education and research.  Thinking science is thinking nation building. Without science, can we throw poverty, disease, and backwardness out of our window? It takes time and continuous effort to reap from science, therefore, investment in scientific research infrastructure, functions, and administrations should also be continuous and not dependent on academic strikes or epidemics. Nation building needs science, a lot of science.

     

    Dr. ‘Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA.   For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635